Latch mechanism



Nov. 22, 1966 J. H. DELHAS LATCH MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 23, 1963 INVENTOB WYM 627295 Jose H. Dellzase N 1966 J. H. DELHASE LATCH MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 23, 1963 N VE N TOR Jose H Dellzasa y y w r, yM iij s United States Patent 3,287,043 LATCH MECHANISM Jose H. Delhase, Versailles, France, assignor of fifty percent to Comatec, Inc., Beverly Hills, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Sept. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 310,944

Claims priority, application France, Nov. 30, 1962,

917,109, Patent 1,340,036

1 Claim. (Cl. 292-9) This invention relates to an improved mechanism for use in latching relatively movable members. The invention is particularly directed to a mechanism for use on a door structure whereby the door can be held in a latched position with respect to the door jam-b.

There are a wide variety of latch members in use at the present time. In many instances, the latch members merely comprise means for rigidly holding a door or the like in a stationary position relative to another member. In such cases, the door can be opened by anyone applying force suflicient to overcome the holding portions of the latch mechanism.

Many other latch designs include means for locking a door or other member relative to a stationary member. In such instances, the members are brought into stationary relationship and a bolt or other means is then thrown into position whereby opening of the door cannot be effected without displacement of the bolt to a non-locking position.

It is a general object of this invention to provide a latch construction which includes features of each of the above described constructions whereby a door or other member can be held in position with respect to a second member and can also be locked in this position as desired.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a latch mechanism characterized by locking features which is simple and economical in its construction and which can be easily adapted for use in conventional door constructions.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a latch mechanism of the type described which comprises a relatively simple operating structure whereby it can be easily operated and whereby maintenance and replacement problems are greatly minimized.

These and other objects of this invention will appear hereinafter and, for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, specific embodiments of this invention are shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one portion of a latch mechanism employed in one embodiment of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the same latch mechanism portion and also illustrates a fragmentary view of a cooperating latch mechanism portion;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional view illustrating the latch mechanism in the locked position;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical elevational view partly cut away illustrating the mechanism portion shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional View taken about the line aa of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional view of an alternative form of the instant invention;

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view taken about the line bb of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view taken about the line c-c of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 9 is a vertical elevational view of a still further embodiment of the invention; and,

FIGURE 10 is a cross-sectional view taken about the line dd of FIGURE 9.

3,287,043 Patented Nov. 22 1966 The latching mechanism of this invention comprises first and second parts, one of which is adapted to 1'0- tatably support a pair of relatively movable members. Means are associated with said parts which are adapted to engage each other whereby the relatively movable members can be held in a stationary relationship. Additional bolt means are included in association with one of the parts and a bolt receiving opening is defined by the other part. When the relatively movable members are brought into a stationary relationship, the bolt means is adapted to communicate with the opening whereby the bolt means can be operated to lock the relatively movable members together.

FIGURES 1 through 5 of the accompany drawings illustrate one form which the mechanism of this invention may assume. In this illustration, a jamh H is provided with one part of the latch mechanism while the door P is provided with the other part. The part 5 associated with the jamb comprises a male member having an enlarged end and a necked down intermediate portion. This male member is adapted to be received between rollers 3 which are mounted by means of pins 4 on the part 1 which is adapted to be connected to the door P. Either the member 5 or the rollers 3 may be made ofa resilient material whereby the necked down portion of the member 5 can be received in a tightly fit relationship between the rollers 3.

The part 1 attached to the door also includes a handle portion 2. In addition, a bolt carrying element 6 is attached to the part 1. The element 6 defines end portions 14 and 14', either one of which can receive a resilient wheel 12. In the embodiment shown, the wheel 12 is rotatably mounted in the end portion 14 on a shaft 13. A slot 9 is also defined by the element 6 and this slot extends to a point in communication with the portion 14.

A bolt member 7 is slideably received within the element 6. This bolt member includes an integrally formed actuating pin 8 which extends through the slot 9 and outwardly through an opening 10 defined in the part 1. It will be noted when considering FIGURE 4 that the pin 8 is of a greater diameter than the distance between the periphery of the wheel 12 and the top edge of the slot 9. Accordingly, the pin 8 will assume two positions, one at either end of the slot 9.

As best shown in FIGURE 3, the member 5 defines an opening 11 dimensioned to receive one end of the bolt 7. When the door P has been moved to the closed position whereby the member 5 is received between the Wheels 3, the opening 11 will communicate with the bolt 7. When in this position, the pin 8 can be grasped, and the end of the bolt inserted into the opening :11 to provide for locking of the door relative to the jamb. Because of the dimensions of the pin 8 and the wheel 12, the bolt 7 will be held in this locking position and cannot be jarred loose therefrom. Similarly, when the bolt has been moved out of the opening 11, it will be held in the inoperative position until the pin is employed to again lock the bolt.

FIGURES 6, 7 and 8 illustrate an alternative arrangement wherein a first member, including portions 15 and 16, is adapted to be attached to a door or other memher. A second portion comprising a plate 21 is adapted to be attached to a door jamb or to some other memher which is movable relative to the member carrying the portions 15 and 16.

The plate 21 defines a depression 20 which is adapted to receive the wheel 17 associated with the portion 16. This wheel, which may be made of a resilient material is rotatably mounted on the pin 18 and is located within the opening 19 defined by the portion 16.

A large opening 25 is defined by the portion 15. This opening receives a wheel 28 which is rotatably mounted on a pin 29. A shaft 26 is also rotatably mounted with- A ro-.

in this opening and this shaft carries a cog 24'. tating knob 27 is provided whereby the cog 24' can be manually actuated.

The cog 24' includes detent portions 30 which are adapted to locate the cog at two dilferent positions. A bolt 22 mounted above the cog includes teeth 24 which engage the cog whereby rotation of the cog will provideship through cooperation of the wheel 17 and the depression 20. Rotation of the knob 27 will provide for locking of the bolt and the detents 30 will prevent jarring of the bolt out of position whether it is in the locked or in the unlocked state.

I The modification shown in FIGURES 9 and comprises a combination of the features described in the above noted embodiments. Thus, the construction includes a member comprising portions 32 and 34 which is adapted to be attached to a door, a ja'mb or to some other element. The portion 32 defines an opening for rotatably receiving a resilient member 33 which will cooperate to locate the illustrated member in stationary relationship with another member in the same manner as described with reference to FIGURES 6 through 8. The construction also includes a bolt 35 which is adapted to be operated by means of an outwardly extending pin 36. The pin extends through a slot 37 defined by the portion 34 of the mechanism and this portion also defines an opening 39 for receiving wheel 38. As described with reference to FIGURES 1 through 5, this wheel provides for securing of the operating pin 36 and, accordingly,

the bolt 35 in either the locking or unlocking position. It will be appreciated that the mechanisms illustrated combine the features of a latching and locking construction. Furthermore, the mechanisms include relatively few parts which are simple to manufacture, and which operate with obvious efliciency.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications can be made in the described constructions which provide the characteristics of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof particularly as defined in the following claim.

That which is claimed is:

A latching mechanism for attachment to a door and jamb whereby the door and jamb can be held in a stationary relationship with respect to each other, said mechanism including a latching means and a locking means, said locking means comprising a bolt member associated with one part of said mechanism, a second part of said mechanism defining an opening for receiving said bolt, handle means operatively connected to said bolt member for moving the bolt member. into said opening, said opening and bolt member being in communication for locking operation when said latching means holds said door and jamb in a stationary relationship, and resilient means for releasably and securely holding said bolt member in a locking position and in an.

unlocked position, said last mentioned means including a cog wheel operatively associated with said bolt member, said handle means being connected to said cog wheel for rotating said cog wheel between two extreme positions whereby said bolt member can assume said locking position and said unlocked position, a pairof recessed portions 1 defined by said cog wheel, and wherein said resilient means comprises a resilient wheel adapted to be received by said recessed portions, said recessed portions being located whereby said resilient Wheel: is received by one of said recessed portions when said bolt member is in locking EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner.

M. HENSON WOOD, JR., BOBBY R. GAY,

Examiners.

I. R. MOSES, Assistant Examiner. 

